Who doesn’t love to hear a success story – especially one from right here in Virginia? Dex, a division of Arrow Truck Sales, dismantles used Mack and Volvo trucks to harvest components for reuse on other trucks. With more than 2.7 million heavy-duty trucks in operation in the U.S., there is a growing market for quality used parts.

Five years after signing a lease for a building space in Floyd Regional Commerce Center in Floyd, Virginia, Dex has reached its reuse and recycling goal. The challenge required Dex to reuse or recycle every component part of the heavy-duty trucks they acquire. While most parts were marketable for resale, Dex had to find new markets for items like glass, plastics, rubber or damaged pieces.

This extensive sorting and processing required extra time and resources, but given their core value of environmental care Dex remained committed to reaching their goal.

Dex’s facility in Floyd has 29 full-time employees. The company has outgrown the 50,000-square-foot space and is leasing other temporary space. With this growth they are also looking toward the future and are currently working on the design aspects of products to ensure Mack and Volvo trucks produce zero landfill waste.

David Ingram, Chairman of Floyd County’s Board of Supervisors, said, “We are very glad that Dex chose Floyd County five years ago. Every job they’ve added is important.”

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Last month, Hanover County received heaping praise in a Richmond Times-Dispatch article that detailed how Hanover has continued to be a great place to live and work despite a tough economic environment.

Known for its passionate citizen involvement and strong partnerships between businesses and government, Hanover prides itself on responsible planning and good, old-fashioned hard work. While there are many individuals that contributed in one way or another, the true spirit of Hanover’s success continues to be a community effort.

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Last month, Bedford County and the Virginia Region 2000 Partnership announced the opening of the Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER).Held August 25th, the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the fruition of a project that involved extensive regional collaboration over the course of several years.

With an overflowing parking lot, more than 100 public officials and business leaders attended the ceremony and got a first look at the new 30,000-square-foot facility. Businesses such as Babcock & Wilcox, Areva and Innovative Wireless Technologies, as well as the University of Virginia, have all secured space. The Region 2000 Partnership will continue to work toward securing more companies and organizations for the Center, which will be used 70% for research, 20% for community and outreach and 10% for administrative support.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Bob McDonnell, Virginia’s Secretary of Technology Jim Duffy praised the partnerships that were fostered to open the center, and spoke of the “brightest minds” that will use the Center for research.

The goal of CAER is to be an industry-focused regional research and development center that drives the development of innovative products and processes by providing local access to university and federal research and inventions. It will target growth industries specific to the region, and will put university innovations into action through practical implementation in industry. CAER aims to increase the competitiveness for core, high-wage industries and improve the long-term prospects of existing industrial employers by creating a knowledge-based research hub for the region.

Bill Guzek of the CAER Board of Directors said, “The center is meant to be an economic engine for the region. This is just the beginning.”

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Just over a month after being named America’s Top State for Business by CNBC, Virginia has received another No. 1 ranking. The Commonwealth has been named the most pro-business state in the country by the 2011 Pollina Corporate Real Estate study: “Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States for 2011: The Rise of the West.” Not only is it the third consecutive year that Virginia has taken home top honors, the Commonwealth won the 2011 top-ranking by the largest victory margin in the history of the study.

In its eighth year, the study is considered the “Gold Standard” in evaluating states by using a comprehensive ranking system based on factors ranging from taxes, right-to-work legislation, infrastructure spending and economic incentive programs.

This year, Virginia lead over the number two spot by 44 points and was dubbed, “the brightest star on the American Flag,” in terms of its pro-business climate. But it’s not just our top spot status that garners such a prestigious title – the Commonwealth has held the top spot five times since the study began, with second place finishes in 2005 and 2006 and third place in 2008. Our consistent presence among the top pro-business states is proof that the Commonwealth has been and will continue to be open for business.

Virginia’s pro-business reputation was also reaffirmed this year by our second place finish in the Labor, Taxes and Other Factors category and our first place finish in the Incentives and Economic Development Agency Factors, which sites the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) as one of the “finest economic development organizations in the nation.” The Commonwealth also performed strongly in the Education and Infrastructure categories and continues to shine on its Report Card.

All of us at VEDP couldn’t be prouder to represent our state and are committed to keeping Virginia the best state for business.

Click here for more information on the rankings and to see the full report.

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In 2009, SRI opened its Center for Advanced Drug Research (CADRE) in Shenandoah Valley with 15 researchers and support staff.Since then, they have grown to 45. Now SRI Shenandoah Valley is planning a build-out that will accommodate 100 scientists, researchers and other staff members.

Located in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metro area, the Center is an independent, not-for-profit research institute. It focuses on improving efficiency in the pharmaceutical industry, developing life-saving treatments for neglected diseases, and helping our nation respond to bio-threats through client-sponsored R&D.

The Center was established as a result of partnerships among state and local governments and James Madison University, located in the area. The continued growth of CADRE is exciting news for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area, as it will draw more bio-tech and life sciences companies to the region, creating jobs and increasing the valuable research done at the Center.

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Boeing Information Solutions, of Arlington, Virginia, is joining forces with another Virginia-based company – Solutions Made Simple Inc. (SMSI).Based in Reston, Virginia, SMSI is an information services provider that is known for its Twister data integration framework products.

Prior to the acquisition, Boeing worked with SMSI over the past several years and, according to John Hinshaw, Boeing’s vice president and general manager of Information Solutions, believes this will be a “better, more cost-effective way to manage data across disparate networks.”.SMSI’s technology takes complex layers of information that are housed in an unlimited number of applications and various data sources, and makes that information easily available for users to access and extract. This type of technology is what Hinshaw sees as a “strong complement to [Boeing’s] existing capabilities.”

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When you’re on the top, it’s not just about being number one – it’s about staying there. In June, CNBC named Virginia America’s Top State for Business, and now, Business Facilities magazine has ranked Virginia #1 for Economic Growth Potential, an award that all of us here in the Commonwealth plan to see to fruition.

The study took a hard look at factors like job creation, project development, incentives and workforce. It also took into account the state’s growth strategy; including the depth and breadth of incentives, as well as partnerships among state and local governments, educational institutions and businesses.

Virginia has done its part to help keep its business climate positive, including the formation of the Economic Development and Job Creation Commission and the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing. Both aim to carry out Virginia’s goal of more jobs and investment for the Commonwealth now and in the future.

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With the changing economic landscape, companies both large and small are increasingly relying on a skilled and educated workforce. Higher technological competencies and experience with service-oriented positions are just a few of the skills employers are looking for to ensure their business’ success.

Preparing students to enter this business environment is an important task and one that Frederick County and Winchester, Virginia are taking seriously. Check out the video below on how educators, employers, and government officials are equipping students to thrive in tomorrow’s workforce.

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Virginia has done it again—CNBC announced that Virginia has reclaimed the award for “Top State for Business.” Since the rankings began five years ago, Virginia has remained in the top two spots, with first-place finishes in 2007, 2009 and now 2011, and second place awards in 2008 and 2010. This year, Virginia was followed by Texas at number two, North Carolina as number three, and Georgia and Colorado coming in at fourth and fifth.

The news was announced live from Mount Vernon, Virginia. Speaking about Virginia’s win, CNBC Senior Correspondent Scott Cohn, said, "With an unprecedented fiscal crisis at the state level, never has it been tougher to stay competitive. But Virginia met the challenge on every level, achieving the highest point total in the history of our study, and finishing in the top half of every category. In the see-saw battle between Virginia and Texas, Virginia is back on top--for now."

CNBC took an in-depth look at why Virginia again came out on top. Using publicly available data, each state was scored on 43 different measures of competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric, which were then separated into 10 broad categories: Cost of Doing Business, Workforce, Quality of Life, Economy, Infrastructure & Transportation, Technology & Innovation, Education, Business Friendliness, Access to Capital and Cost of Living.

Not only did the Commonwealth win the highest ranking—Virginia received the highest point total in the history of the rankings, finishing in the top-half of every category ranked.

Virginia has often been lauded for its strategic location, friendly business climate and diverse economy, and this year’s CNBC top ranking was no different. The Commonwealth also showed marked improvements in its tax burden and education. Not only that, Virginia finished in the top ten in five categories: Infrastructure & Transportation at number 10, Economy at number 8, Education at number 6, second in Business Friendliness and tenth in Access to Capital.

So when people ask why they should “Say Yes” to Virginia, don’t just take our word for it—ask the experts.

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Volvo is currently working toward a corporate goal of making all of its manufacturing facilities carbon dioxide neutral by 2012- a goal that requires alternative uses of renewable energy, as well as reducing overall energy consumption at its plants.

Volvo Trucks, located in Dublin, Virginia, took the goal even farther, hoping to reduce consumption by 25% in a single year at its New River Valley plant.Check out this article on the U.S. Department of Energy’s site, which highlights Volvo Trucks’ success in achieving its goals, and the steps it took to get there.

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“Outstanding”, “Exceptional leadership in innovation”, “Driving innovation in communities” –These are just a few of the attributes describing Virginia Tech’s Corporate Research Park, which was recently awarded the 2010 Award of Excellence by the Association of University Research Parks (AURP). In its 15th year, the Award of Excellence recognizes the achievements of research parks and industry partners. The award looks to research parks that successfully bring technology from its initial stages in the laboratory to applicable business solutions, which in turn promotes sustainable economic development in the region through jobs, revenue, and overall business growth.

The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Park currently houses over 140 high-tech companies and research centers that employ more than 2,200 people in 27 buildings. A Phase II build-out is planned for the park, adding 28 buildings totaling 950,000 square-feet, and housing 3,000 employees over the next decade. The park is adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Check out the link below for more information on the 2010 Award of Excellence and a video about the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Park:

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About VEDP

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), a state authority created by the Virginia General Assembly to better serve those seeking a prime business location and increased trade opportunities, provides confidential site selection and international trade services. VEDP's mission: To enhance the quality of life and raise the standard of living for all Virginians, in collaboration with Virginia communities, through aggressive business recruitment, expansion assistance, and trade development, thereby expanding the tax base and creating higher-income employment opportunities.